Claw hammer with metallic reenforcing sleeve between the connecting part of the handle and the eye of the head



Apnl 22, 1958 c. M. LAY 2,331,202

CLAW HAMMER WITH METALLIC REENFORCING SLEEVE BETWEEN THE counscwme PART OF THE HANDLE AND THE EYE OF THE HEAD Filed Sept. 12, 1955 I United States Patent 6 CLAW HAll/IMER WITH METALLIC REENFORCING SLEEVE BETWEEN THE CONNECTING PART OF THE HANDLE AND THE EYE OF THE HEAD Clarence M. Lay, Bushnell, 111., assignor to Vaughan 8; Bushnell Mfg. Co., Bushnell, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application September 12, 1955, Serial No. 533,829

2 Claims. (Cl. 78)

The present invention relates generally to hammers for use by carpenters and others in hammering nails and other objects. More particularly, the invention relates to that type of hammer which is known in the hardware art as a claw hammer and as its components or parts comprises: (1) a one-piece head which is in the form of a drop forging and consists of (a) an elongated open ended eye which embodies a pair of spaced apart side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall and has its interior of rectangular cross section from end to end, (b) a cylindrical hammer part which is connected to, and extends outwards from, the outer end portion of the bottom wall of the eye, and (c) a bifurcated arcuate claw which is connected to, and extends outwards from, the outer end portion of the top wall of the eye; and (2) an elongated one-piece handle which is formed of hard wood and consists of (a) an intermediate necklike part which is polygonal in cross section and is gradually flared from its mid point to its ends, (b) a comparatively thick grip-forming part which is attached to one end of the intermediate neck-like part and is elliptical in cross section, and (c) a connecting part which is attached to the other end of the intermediate neck-like part, is rectangular in cross section, has its central and outer end portions shaped conformably to, and fitting snugly within, the eye of the head, and has the inner end portion thereof disposed outside of the inner end of the eye and flared in the direction of the intermediate part of the handle.

In a claw hammer of the aforementioned type, it is customary or standard practice to have the central and inner end portions of the interior of the eye of the head of uniform or the same rectangular cross section throughout and the outer end portion of the eye interior flared outwards to a small extent, and in addition so to form the handle before it is connected or attached to the head that the central and outer end portions of the connecting part are of uniform or the same rectangular cross section throughout but are of slightly greater cross sectional area than the central and inner end portions of the interior of the eye. In connecting the handle to the head, the outer end of the connecting part is positioned in registering relation with the inner end of the interior of the eye and then the handle and head are driven towards one another until the central and outer end portions of the connecting part of the handle are disposed within the interior of the eye of the head. Thereafter, a wedge is driven into the outer end portion of the connecting part of the.handle so as to expand it in such manner that it fits snugly within the outwardly flared outer end portion of the eye interior. After the wedge is driven into place the connecting part of the handle is connected to the eye of the head by a so-called compression fit. In practice, it has been found that when the handle is connected to the head by driving it and the head towards one another, the inner edges of the inner ends of the side, top and bottom walls of the eye dig into and shave to an appreciable extent the side, top and bottom surfaces of the central and outer end portions of the connecting part of the handle. It has "ice also been found that because of the digging in and shaving action of the inner edges of the inner ends of the side, top and bottom walls of the eye that the connecting part of the handle is so weakened at the juncture between its central and flared inner end portions that the handle when subjected to substantial lateral force or strain in connection with a hammering operation or a nail removing operation has a marked tendency-to fracture or break at said juncture. The reason for this tendency is that the juncture between the central and flared inner end portions of the handle is not surrounded by the inner end of the eye and is of less cross sectional area than any portion of the intermediate neck-like part of the handle.

One object of the invention is to provide a claw hammer which is an improvement upon, and is materially stronger than, previously designed claw hammers of the compression fit type and is characterized by the fact that it embodies a metallic sleeve which is of rectangular cross section, is shaped conformably to, and fits snugly around, the central and outer end portions of the connecting part of the wooden handle, is in firm gripping relation with the interior of the eye of the head, and is provided at its inner end with an integral outwardly flared extension which is disposed outside of the inner end of the eye, is shaped conformably to, and fits snugly around, the flared inner end portion of the connecting part of the handle, and operates so to reenforce the connecting part that when the handle is subjected to substantial lateral force or strain in connection with a hammering or nail removing operation there is no likelihood of fracture or breakage occurring at the juncture between the central and flared inner end portions of the connecting part. By employing a sleeve of the aforementioned character the handle is so reenforced so far as its connecting part is concerned that it can only fracture at its intermediate neck-like part and hence is capable of being subjected to great lateral force or strain with a. .minimum possibility of fracture or breakage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a claw hammer of the type and character under consideration in which the top and bottom walls of the metallic reenforcing sleeve are centrally and longitudinally slotted in order that when the wedge is driven into the outer end,

portion of the connecting part of the handle in connection with attachment of the handle to the head the outer end portion of the sleeve is free to expand laterally into firm gripping relation with the outwardly flared outer end portion of the interior of the eye of the head.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cl-aW hammer of the type and character under consideration in which the outer ends of the reenforcing sleeve and the connecting part of the hammer terminate a small distance inwards of the outer ends of the side, top and bottom walls of the eye, and the space within the outer end of the eye is sealed by a fluid impervious plug of plastic or other material in order to prevent moisture in the central and outer end portions of the connecting part of the handle from evaporating through the outer end of the eye interior.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a claw hammer which is generally of new and improved construction, possesses extremely high resistance to breakage of the handle thereof, and is capable of being assembled with facility and produced or fabricated at a com paratively low cost.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present claw hammer will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding .parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a side elevation showing a claw hammer embodying the invention in an inverted position, i. e., with the hammering part facing upwards and the bifurcated arcuate claw facing downwards;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary, horizontal or longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and illustrating in detail the construction, design and arrangement of the reenforcing sleeve which surrounds the connecting part of the wooden handle of the hammer;

, Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective of the metallic reenforcing sleeve; and

Figure 5 is a perspective of the arcuate wedge for extending the outer end portions of the sleeve and the connecting part of the hammer into firm gripping relation with the outwardly flared outer end portion of the interior of the eye of the head.

The claw hammer which is shown in the drawing constitutes the preferred form or embodiment of the invention. It is primarily adapted for use in carpentry and consists of a head 6, a handle 7, a reenforcing sleeve 8, a wedge 9 and a plug 10.

The head 6 is in the form of a one-piece drop forging and consists of an elongated open ended eye 11, a cylindrical hammer part 12 and a bifurcated arcuate claw 13. The eye 11 is disposed between, and serves to connect, the hammer part 12 and the claw 13. It is approximately twice as long as it is high and embodies a pair of spaced apart side walls 14, a top wall 15 and'a bottom wall 16. The top and bottom walls 15 and 16 extend between, and serve to space apart, the side walls 14 and have the side margins thereof formed integrally with the side margins of the side walls. The interior of the eye 11 is rectangular in cross section from end to end. The central and inner end portions of the interior of the eye are uniform or the same in rectangular cross section throughout and the outer end portion of the eye interior is flared outwards to a small extent. Preferably, the outer end portion of the interior of the eye 11 is flared outwards at an angle of approximately 7 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the eye. The inner surfaces of the side, top and bottom walls of the eye are smooth. The cylindrical hammer part 12 of the head 6 is connected to, and extends outwards from, the outer end portion of the bottom wall 16 of the eye, and the bifurcated arcuate claw 13 is connected to, and extends outwards from, the

outer end portion of the top wall 15 of the eye. As well understood in the art, the claw 13 is curved inwards with respect to the eye 11 and serves as a medium for removing nails or similar articles.

The handle 7 is preferably formed of a single piece of hard wood and consists of an intermediate neck-like part 17, a grip-forming part 18 and a connecting part 19. The intermediate neck-like part is polygonal in cross section and is gradually flared from its mid point to its ends as shown in Figure l of the drawing. The gripforming part 18 is attached or connected to one end of the intermediate neck-like part 17 and is elliptical in cross section. It is materially thicker than the intermediate neck-like part 17 and is adapted to be grasped by the hand in connection with use of the hammer. The connecting part 19 of the handle 7 is attached or connected to the other end of the intermediate neck-like part 17 and is rectangular in cross section. Before the handle 7 is attached to the head 6 the central and outer end portions of the connecting part 19 are of uniform or the same rectangular cross section throughout. As shown in Figures 2 and 3 such portions fit within the interior of the eye 11. The inner end portion of the connecting part 19 is disposed outside of the inner end of the eye of the head and is flared in the direction of the intermediate iii neck-like part 17 of the handle. The central and outer end portions of the connecting part are of less cross sectional area than any portion of the intermediate necklilte part 17. The connecting part 19 is of such length that when it is in place within the interior of the eye 11, its outer end terminates a small distance inwards of the outer ends of the side, top and bottom walls of the eye 11 (see Figures 2 and 3).

The reenforc'ing sleeve 8 is in the form of a one-piece steel stamping and is of uniform thickness throughout. it is rectangular in cross section, consists of a pair of spaced apart side walls 24 a top wall 21 and a bottom wall 22, and is shaped conformably to, and fits snugly around, the central and outer end portions of the connecting part 19 of the handle 7. The top and bottom walls 21 and 22 extend between, and serve to space apart, the side walls 20 and have the side margins thereof formed integrally with the side margins of said side walls. The outer surfaces of the side, top and bottom walls 20, 21 and 22 are in firm gripping relation with the inner surfaces of the side, top and bottom walls 14, 15 and 16 of the eye 11 of the head. The inner end of the reenforcing sleeve 8 is provided with an integral outwardly flared extension 23 which is rectangular in cross section, is disposed outside of the inner end of the eye 11, is shaped conformably to, and fits snugly around, the flared inner end portion of the connecting part 19 of the handle, and operates so to reenforce the connecting part that when the handle is subjected to substantial lateral force or strain in connection with either a hammering operation by use of the hammer part 12 or a nail removing operation by use of the arcuate bifurcated claw 13, there is no likelihood of fracture or breakage occurring at the juncture between the central and flared inner end portions of the connecting part 19. The top and bottom walls 21 and 22 of the reenforcing sleeve 8 are provided with centrally disposed longitudinally extending slots 24 in order that the outer end portion of the sleeve is free to expand laterally when the wedge g is driven into place as hereinafter described. The inner ends of the slots 24 terminate a short distance inwards of the root or small end portion of the outerwardly flared extension 23, and the outer ends of the slots extend through the outer edges of the top and bottom walls 21 and 22 of the sleeve. Before the sleeve is inserted into the eye in connection with attachment of the handle 7 to the head 6, it is of uniform or the same rectangular cross section throughout except for the extension 23 and is of slightly greater cross sectional area than the interior of the eye 11. In connecting the handle 7 to the head it is contemplated that the sleeve will first be mounted on the connecting part of the handle by forcing or driving it into place, then the outer ends of the sleeve and handle connecting part will be placed in registering relation with the inner end of the eye interior and then the handle and head will be driven towards one another in order to effect disposition of the sleeve within the interior of the eye of the head. During drive of the handle and head towards one another, the reenforcing sleeve '8 is caused slightly to contract. Contraction of the sleeve places the central and outer end portions of the connecting part 19 of the handle 7 under compression and results in the side, top and bottom walls 20, 2-1 and 22 of the sleeve being brought into firm gripping relation with the side, top and bottom walls 14, 15 and 16 of the eye. The recnforcing sleeve 8 is the same in length as the central and outer end portions of the connecting part 19 of the handle and is arranged so that its outer end is flush with the outer end surface of the connecting part.

The wedge 9 of the hammer may be of any standard or conventional design and is driven into the outer end portion of the handle connecting part 19 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. It serves when in its operative position so laterally to expand the outer end portion of the connecting part 19 and the outer end portion of the reenforcing sleeve 8 that said outer end portion of the sleeve grips firmly the outwardly flared outer end portion of the interior of the eye 11 of the head 6.

The plug of the hammer fits within, and serves to seal, the space within the outer end of the eye 11, i. e., the space between the outer ends of the side, top and bottom walls of the eye and the outer ends of the handle connecting part 19 and the reenforcing sleeve 8. It is formed of any suitable fluid impervious plastic material and serves to prevent moisturein the central and outer end portions of the connecting part 19 of the handle 7 from evaporating through the outer end of the eye interior. If desired, the plug 10 may be preformed and then driven into the outer end of the eye interior until its outer surface is flush with the outer ends of the side, top and bottom walls 14, 15 and 16 of the eye 11. Instead of preforming the plug and then driving it into place, the plug may be formed by filling the space in the outer end of the eye with uncured plastic material and then curing such material. After the plastic material is cured, the edge portions of the plug tend adhesively to grip the outer ends of the side, top and bottom walls of the eye 11.

The herein described hammer, due to the fact that it includes the particular reenforcing sleeve 8 between the connecting part 19 of the handle 7 and the eye 11 of the head 6, possesses extremely high resistance to breakage of the handle and hence eflectively and efliciently fulfills its intended purpose.

Whereas the invention has been described in connection with a claw hammer, it is to be understood that it may be embodied in any other type of hammer or hammering tool having an eye and handle of the hereinbefore described character. It is also to he understood that the invention is not to be restricted to the details set forth since they may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a claw hammer head having a medial eye portion interposed between a bifurcated nail extracting inclined claw part on one side thereof and an impact portion on the other side thereof, said eye portion having an eye formed therein and extending completely therethrough in a direction normal to the impact portion and in the general plane of the inclined claw portion, said eye being generally rectangular in transverse cross section and presenting opposed side walls and opposed end walls, said end walls presenting proximate parallel faces and presenting distal faces which are inclined at a slight angle to each other outwardly beyond the longitudinal confines of said parallel faces, thus producing an internal outwardly flared distal region within the eye cavity, of a resilient hard wood handle for said claw hammer head having its distal end region telescopically received within said eye cavity, said distal end region, in the free state of the handle, being uniformly rectangular in cross section throughout and being connected to the proximate body portion of the handle by an outwardly flared region of slight flare in clination, and a tubular reenforcing steel sleeve completely encompassing said distal end region and said outwardly flared portion of the handle, said sleeve having opposed side and end walls respectively and having a distal end region which, in the free state of the sleeve, is uniformly rectangular in cross section, said distal end region of the sleeve surrounding the distal end region of the handle, said sleevealso having a proximate end region in which the end walls are flared outwardly, said proximate end region of the sleeve surrounding the outwardly flared region of the handle with the out-- wardly flared end walls overlying the outwardly flared region of the handle, said distal end region of the handle and said distal end region of the sleeve being driven conjointly into said eye cavity and fitting therein under compression with the end walls of the distal end region of the sleeve expanded tightly against the inclined distal faces of the end wallsof the eye due to the resilience of the material of the handle, said proximate end region of the sleeve entering between the opposed walls of the eye and the outwardly flared portion of the distal end region of the handle to shield the latter portion of the distal end region of-the handle from the shearing effects of the proximate rim of the eye, while at the same time permitting limited flexing of said outward flared portion of the distal end region when bending stresses are applied to the handle due to nail pulling or similar wrecking operations by said claw part of the claw hammer head.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said side walls of the eye and said side walls of the sleeve are flared conformably to the adjacent flared portions of the respective end walls to which they are joined.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Australia Mar. 16, 1939 

